"I just want to know how lucky I am," Luke said.
Hearing his response, Taylor burst into a smile as bright as the midday sun in spring.
God, he was such a charmer!
How could there be such a perfect guy in this world?
Any lingering annoyance about Luke's slight playboy vibe got pushed to the back of her mind.
"You're off to a great start with this date," Taylor said happily. "I'm loving it."
When it comes to dating, back in China, it's usually the guy who plans the whole thing. And most guys stick to the classic trifecta: dinner, a movie, and maybe a hotel room. But girls often complain about it:
"No creativity at all—so boring…"
"Such a stereotypical guy, doesn't even think to get a gift I'd like…"
"Didn't even reserve the best spot in the restaurant…"
"The food at the place he picked doesn't even suit my taste…"
Basically, guys planning dates often feel like girls are impossible to please, no matter what they do.
But today's date with Taylor? She was the one calling all the shots!
Luke didn't have to lift a finger. He could just kick back and let her take the lead.
That kind of stress-free, effortless vibe during a date? Most guys never get to experience that.
"Let's hit the road!" Taylor said, firing up her Hummer and heading toward their destination.
Even now, Luke had no clue where she was taking him.
He didn't ask. He'd find out when they got there.
"Put on some music," Taylor suggested.
"Cool, I want to hear your songs."
"Good taste!" she replied.
Even though Taylor was probably sick of her own songs from endless studio sessions, she was thrilled that Luke wanted to listen. She gave an enthusiastic nod.
Luke grabbed a CD from the car and popped it into the player.
A catchy melody filled the car, but when Luke caught the lyrics, his expression turned… weird.
"There's no time for tears. I'm just sitting here. Planning my revenge."
"No time for crying—I'm already plotting my revenge!"
"So go and tell your friends, that I'm obsessive and crazy."
"Go tell your buddies I'm a clingy, crazy chick!"
"That's fine, I'll tell mine you're gay!"
"No big deal, I'll just tell everyone you're into guys!"
If he wasn't mistaken, this was Picture to Burn from Taylor's debut album.
It's about a girl getting revenge on her sleazy ex-boyfriend.
The song's protagonist, upon finding out she's been cheated on, doesn't waste time crying. She transforms into a vengeance goddess.
She lays down the law: I'm a force to be reckoned with, and I'm coming for you!
Then she spreads rumors that her ex is gay, aiming to tank his reputation.
And that's not enough for her.
"Nothing stopping me from going out with all of your best friends."
"Nothing's gonna stop me! I'm going out with all your best buds!"
(Let's see you lose your best friends and end up all alone!)
This move was straight-up savage.
She's even willing to date her ex's best friends to completely dismantle his social circle.
In just a few lines, the song paints a vivid picture of a cunning, scrappy girl.
Picture to Burn is one of the hottest tracks from Taylor's first album.
Countless teenage girls across North America were obsessed with it.
They thought the girl in the song was just too cool.
Instead of swallowing her pride when her boyfriend cheats, she fights back, hitting him where it hurts and making him pay.
But for Luke…
Was the sleazy ex in this song supposed to be him?
"So, when you wrote this song…" he started.
"Yup! I was thinking of you!" Taylor cut in.
Luke: ???
He wasn't even her boyfriend—let alone her ex—and he was already being roasted in her songs?
Talk about special treatment!
Seeing his helpless look, Taylor reached over and patted his thigh. "It's not real, silly. When I write songs, I make up all sorts of stories in my head and put them to music."
"It's just a fictional story. Don't go connecting it to real life," she said with a laugh.
Luke wasn't buying it. It felt like she was venting some pent-up frustration.
"Don't believe me? Check out Fifteen from my second album," Taylor said. "You'll get it."
Luke hit play on the song.
"When you're fifteen and your first kiss makes your head spin 'round."
"When you're fifteen, and your first kiss makes your world turn upside down."
"But in your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team."
"But there's so much more to life than getting caught up dating the football team's star."
"But I didn't know it at fifteen."
"But at fifteen, I didn't get that yet."
"Wish I could go back and tell myself what I know now."
"I wish I could go back and tell my younger self what I've learned."
"Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday."
"Back then, I was dead-set on marrying him one day."
"But I realized some bigger dreams of mine."
"But now I see I've got bigger dreams to chase."
Listening to Taylor's Fifteen, Luke couldn't help but feel touched.
This song was Taylor writing to her fifteen-year-old self, but also to every other fifteen-year-old girl grappling with the ups and downs of adolescence.
She's telling her younger self—and all those other girls—that first love is magical, and dating the football team heartthrob is thrilling.
But that's not what matters most.
Life's about bigger dreams, not getting lost in fleeting romances.
It's hard to believe a teenage girl wrote this song. Taylor's got a sharp, insightful mind that makes you can't help but adore her—even with her occasional sly streak.
"This song came from me imagining a made-up story too," Taylor said. "I was thinking, what if I hadn't met you on that train?"
"Maybe I'd have been like other girls, caught up in dating some football player, getting hurt by a jerk, and then realizing there's more to life than that."
"I'm so lucky," she added. "I'm still grateful for that day we met!"
"Meeting you was the best."
Taylor looked at Luke, her words brimming with sincerity.
Faced with her heartfelt confession, Luke just reached out and ruffled her hair, not saying a word.
"See? I'm always daydreaming when I write songs. I'm not throwing shade at you," she said.
"Really? I'm not so sure!" he teased back.